Hopes high for PH cure for COVID-19

Malacañang is keeping its hopes high that the government-funded study on convalescent blood plasma against COVID-19 will yield positive results and become the Philippines’ contribution to the global battle against the pandemic.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque made the statement after Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Fortunato dela Peña announced the start of the government-funded study looking on the use of convalescent blood plasma as one of the modes of therapy for

COVID-19.

“We hope this study will yield positive results and be our country’s contribution to the global effort to develop COVID-19 treatment,” he said.

Roque said the use of convalescent plasma as adjunctive therapy for patients hospitalized for

COVID-19 is being undertaken by the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) with funding support from the DOST.

The study is banking on the use of convalescent plasma taken from the blood of patients who have recovered from the infection, and therefore contains neutralizing antibodies against the virus.

In April, President Duterte called on COVID-19 survivors to donate their blood or plasma to treat those who are suffering from the dreaded disease and for UP-PGH’s experimental treatment for patients with severe symptoms of the disease.

“Mag mabuting-loob kayo. And I think kung ako (Please volunteer. If I were a survivor), I should volunteer. That is the way of thanking God that you have survived,” he said.

“Magpakuha kayo kasi ‘yun ang dugo ninyo – ‘yung plasma ninyo ‘yun ang i-inject doon sa mga tinamaan. So ‘yung katawan mo makukuha niya ‘yon – ‘yung dugo na kapatid mo na Pilipino, makukuha niya ‘yan (Donate your blood because your plasma will be used to treat your fellow Filipinos who are infected),” he added.

President Duterte likewise urged the public to be proud of the health workers, particularly the UP-PGH, who are trying to find a cure to the dreaded deadly disease.

PGH spokesman Dr. Jonas Del Rosario earlier told ABS-CBN that the hospital’s hematology and pathology divisions are looking into convalescent plasma therapy since there is still no known cure for COVID-19.

Del Rosario said only patients who have fully recovered will be accepted as donors. Donors should be patients who are feeling well after hospital discharge.

They should also test negative for COVID-19 and it should be two weeks since they tested negative to be sure.